AC Milan 0-3 Inter Milan: Simone Inzaghi's side ease to Supercoppa win over rivals to defend title
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 18/01/2023 at 21:18 GMT
It was a comfortable night for Inter Milan and their manager Simone Inzaghi, as they defended their Italian Supercoppa crown with a 3-0 win over arch-rivals AC Milan. Federico Dimarco opened the scoring in the first ten minutes, with Edin Dzeko doubling the lead after 21 minutes. In the second-half World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez rounded off the win by scoring his team’s third.
'If I don't win you will kill me' - Xavi on the pressure as Barca manager
Inter brushed aside rivals AC Milan 3-0 to win the Supercoppa Italiana for a second consecutive year.
Federico Dimarco, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez were on target at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Simone Inzaghi’s charges claimed the bragging rights with a comprehensive victory in the Derby della Madonnina.
Inter made the breakthrough after just 10 minutes with their first shot on target, Nicolo Barella rolling a cross into the path of Dimarco who slotted home at the back post.
Rafael Leao forced a decent save from Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana before the Nerazzurri doubled their advantage when Dzeko left Tonali in his wake before rifling his shot into the bottom corner with just 21 minutes played.
Milan would have been further behind only for goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu who denied Martinez and Dimarco his brace.
Stefano Pioli opted not to make any changes at the break but would have been happy with his side’s initial approach to the second half, as Leao went close to halving the deficit with a venomous shot that drifted agonisingly over.
Having failed to make their pressure pay, Milan’s enthusiasm dwindled, and the in-form Lautaro added a third after shrugging off Tomori before finishing with the outside of his boot for his 12th goal of the season.
The scoreline fails to flatter Inter; in truth it was reflective of a one-sided affair.
Talking point - Brilliant Inter inflict heavy defeat on brittle city rivals
When do Milan begin to worry? The Rossoneri are now four games without a victory in all competitions – equalling Pioli’s worst-ever run since being appointed.
It was a case of déjà vu as the defending Serie A champions twice conceded in the opening 25 minutes, just like they had done in Saturday’s Serie A 2-2 draw with Lecce. This time, however, it proved a step too far. They are conceding goals at an alarming rate – 16 in just seven games and without a clean sheet since November 8 – and look a shadow of the side that was so watertight defensively last season.
For Inter, they will take great delight in beating their city rivals in a final for the first time after losing the Coppa Italia 1977 and Supercoppa in 2011. Inzaghi will hope that this proves to be a catalyst as his side look to make an unlikely title bid in the second half of the season.
Player of the match - Edin Dzeko (Inter)
Was at the heart of Inter’s first goal with a sublime first-time lay-off to release Barella before he became the oldest player to score in the Supercoppa Italiana with a memorable goal.
Player ratings
Milan: Tatarusanu 7, Calabria 5, Kjaer 6, Tomori 4 Theo Hernandez 5, Bennacer 6, Tonali 4, Messias 5, Brahim Diaz 5, Leao 6, Giroud 5.. subs: Origi 5, De Ketelaere 5, Kalulu 5, Rebic N/A, Dest N/A.
Inter: Onana 7, Skriniar 7, Acerbi 7, Bastoni 7, Darmian 7, Barella 7, Calhanoglu 8, Mkhitaryan 7, Dimarco 8, Dzeko 8*, Lautaro Martinez 8.. subs: Gosens 5, Correa 5, Gagliardini 5, De Vrij N/A, Asllani N/A.
Match highlights
10’ - GOAL! MILAN 0-1 INTER (FEDERICO DIMARCO): A lovely team goal! Dzeko makes a one-touch lay-off to release Barella - but is he offside? He looks up and rolls it to Dimarco at the back post and he slots it home.
18' - LEAO IS THROUGH... Brahim Diaz unlocks the Inter defence with a beauty of a through-ball to release Leao down the left. He tries his luck from an acute angle, forcing a spectacular save from Onana who tips it over the bar.
21’ - GOAL! AC MILAN 0-2 INTER (EDIN DZEKO): Dzeko doubles Inter's lead and in the process, becomes the oldest player to score in the Supercoppa Italiana. He makes a clever run, Dzeko cuts inside and leaves Tonali in his wake before rifling a right-footed shot into the corner of the net. Slack defending - but what a finish.
49’ - SO CLOSE! A vibrant attack from Milan as Leao picks up the ball unmarked on the left. He charges centrally before unleashing a shot at goal and it's agonisingly over the bar. That's the closest Milan have come so far.
77’ - GOAL! AC MILAN 0-3 INTER (LAUTARO MARTINEZ): That will seal it! From the resulting free-kick, Skriniar sends a long ball aimed for Martinez, who holds off Tomori and turns the ball past Tatarusanu with the outside of his boot. It's his 12th goal of the season for Lautaro!
Key stats
Lautaro Martinez becomes the first player to score in back-to-back editions of the competition since fellow Argentine Carlos Tevez (2013 and 2014).
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article